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We're going with reeded edges and antique gold like this year's south coin so they should look something like this.

Original OP content here:

IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN!

Actually it was that time a month ago. Now we're late (sorry @akidderz).

TODO:

Coin design front/back

Latin phrase

Colour/No Colour/Both?

If you have any basic questions about challenge coins please check last year's thread as they were probably answered in there. Or ask here I'm not your boss.

DESIGN:

Ok so we need a gaming related item for one side and a local attraction/place/thing for the other.

Gaming-wise I had the thought to take a photo of last year's Mario pipe diorama. I thought either by itself or we could add another element coming out of it? Suggestions welcome! Here's a quick mock-up I did:

Last year we went with a tram for the back, but there was some talk about whether we should be looking further afield than Melbourne since our PAX is Australia's only PAX, unlike the US states, so opinions on this would be welcomed. Keep in mind the images should be copyright free/user submitted. If we end up using your image I promised last year that one of this years coins would be given to you at no cost (and perhaps one of last years, if I have any left). So far I've updated the template for this side with the correct year and date but nothing else. If you think you might have a photo that we could use please let us know!

PHRASE:

Last year we changed the Latin phase that had been on all previous coins (NUMQUAM MENTULA ES, don't be a dick, roughly) to NULLUS ANXIETAS (I didn't realise at the time this is apparently a Disc World reference). So I think we have to decide if we want to go back to the original phrase or something new again. The runners up last year were:

I'm assuming the difference is that it's easier to add selective colour when you have a clean design as opposed to a photo.

My feelings on it are; I think we should stick with a non-colour coin (DRAMATIC MUSIC!). I just don't know if I think the extra expense/hassle/OMG I NEED TO BUY BOTH is worth the outcome. But that's just me. If you guys want colours YOU GET COLOURS!

Also unlike last year we should have the edge reeding and.. black wash stuff (?) that highlights the design better (see South coin pic for example of what we're aiming for).

So, let's hear your thoughts! At some point I'll put up some google docs for voting on the various elements, but I'll wait until we've had some discussion first.

We're aiming to go into production mid-September so we're not scrambling like last year, so that's our time-frame. Orders will be the last thing sorted out, but you should be able to either get them sent straight to your address or pick them up at PAX.

Posts

Alex jumping in for a second (we made both of the coins mentioned above). The color versions can be made at the same time and they are usually about a $1/coin. Not all designs allow for the color version to be made, it has to be something we are thinking about as the design process moves forward.

If you guys have any coin related questions (especially early in the process), just tag me in this thread and I'll hop on to respond. We really appreciate getting to make these for you guys. We did all the PAX's last year and we know that our experience with PAX AUS is why that happened.

Yes and I'll take 5 maybe 6 this year please Fishfish. Loving the design you have there already for the Gaming side and agree on a more broader Australian design for the back, Dropbear?!?. 'Welcome Home' must stay though, I love that phrase.

My 2c (as it's still legal tender in this fine land) is that I think I prefer the non colour version. The black wash as you said adds a great highlighting element and a real element of elegance to the shebang.

The mario pipe is cool, I am wondering if it doesn't need something dumb like an emu head sticking out of it? For the flip side I do have a pic I'd like to submit, any chance of a reminder of submission details? I kinda feel (and being not from Melbourne, so it's harder to get and submit a pic) that the reverse face should probably be Melbourne related, at least for the next few years due to being host city. Incase they later try a different Oz city. But mostly I like the tradition of a pic of the home city and it's kinda nice that it's not just the bloody harbour bridge and opera house all the time.

I also liked the idea to have the Latin Ozzified, so I'm perfectly fine with Nullas Anxietas or however the hell it's spelt. "Have a cold one" would be an option too.

For the flip side I do have a pic I'd like to submit, any chance of a reminder of submission details? I kinda feel (and being not from Melbourne, so it's harder to get and submit a pic) that the reverse face should probably be Melbourne related, at least for the next few years due to being host city. Incase they later try a different Oz city. But mostly I like the tradition of a pic of the home city and it's kinda nice that it's not just the bloody harbour bridge and opera house all the time.

I agree on the harbour bridge being overplayed, but I don't want to limit ourselves on what we choose because of some theoretical future change of venue.

No real submission restrictions on images except that you have the right to give us permission to use it! Post it in the thread and the community can decide.

I've got an artist lined up if we can decide on the basics of a design for the game side, so that's good. But we still need more suggestions/submissions for the location on the other side. Everyone go through your pax photo's from last year and see if you've got anything relevant!

I've got no stake in keeping the same motto (though Pterry's fondness for both Australia and video games, and the fact that it's the motto of Bugarup University on the very Australian continent of XXXX, commended it to me) or changing it up every year, though if we go for the latter, I'm definitely in favour of the 'Land Of Expensive Games' one.

For the artwork, could we perhaps do something Olympics-inspired? A circle of classic game items (Master Sword, Belmont's Whip, an E-tank, Super Mushroom, Morph Ball, that sort of thing?

One of the learnings from the 2015 coin is that because it has no "finish" it is not so easy to see the words or the detail because there is no contrast.

With regards to the 2016 coin design my thoughts are:

PAX is about all types of games, I'd love to see something that reflects both computer and tabletop games. This could be something like a split image with a game controller and a meeple (a game playing piece).

The guideline for the other side has been to have a design that represents the location, i.e. Melbourne.

having a wash/aging/bronzing is essential as noted above.

A full colour image will cheapen the overall effect, but the spot colour or inlay is very effective as in the example of the pokemon ball in a post above. i.e:

I was having some thoughts about this, I like the idea of it not just being about video games for the 'gamer' side of the coin, I'm knocking around an idea with a graphic designer friend of mine of a classic Meeple with a question mark over it's head being confused by the appearance of a kangaroo and wombat shaped meeples next to it. Also I agree with needing some aging on the coin, having the dazzling gold last year was awesome, but I think the wash would make it a bit more readable. Spot colours would also be great.

I was having some thoughts about this, I like the idea of it not just being about video games for the 'gamer' side of the coin, I'm knocking around an idea with a graphic designer friend of mine of a classic Meeple with a question mark over it's head being confused by the appearance of a kangaroo and wombat shaped meeples next to it. Also I agree with needing some aging on the coin, having the dazzling gold last year was awesome, but I think the wash would make it a bit more readable. Spot colours would also be great.

That design sounds great, so if they're happy to do one we'd def be interested in seeing it!

Also if I didn't make it clear in the OP, this years coin will for sure have better contrast (ie: some) than last years.

I'm sure we can't use official PA art. Hey @Fitzchivalry you still about? Who did that drop bear cookie brigade art for you? Maybe we could have one coming out of the pipe?

Why hello! I didn't get any notification of this post...how odd...lucky I was sticky beaking

I got an artist on Freelancer to do it, but for some reason I can't find it in my account..which is odd...but yeh add a job to Freelancer if you want or if someone creative wants to edit my cookie version thats also an option.

I love 'Land of Expensive Games' and 'No Worries Mate' as mottoes but the Latin is way off.

Terra Pretiosa Ludos should be Terra Pretiosorum Ludorum. The original has Pretosia agreeing with Terra, meaning the land is expensive, not the games (true but off-topic). Also Ludos is in the accusative case when it needs to be genetive.

Sorry I've been radio silent for so long. I was stuck away from home with no internet for 2 weeks, and when I got back things were hectic for a while.

We were aiming to have this ready to go a week or so back, so I'm quite a bit behind. Updates on my end are; we've had two potential artists drop out, but I asked Gabe if we can use the art from the 2013 Fauna comic and he said yes, so I've whipped up a few potential ideas (see below).

Still have to find an image for the location side, but I wanted to get a post here so people know this is still happening. @akidderz says our deadline is October (early next week) if we want to get this in time for AUS.

If we want a colour coin at this point we can probably only do one side, but that might work better if we just want to go with the one coin? I'm planning to get some google form voting thing set up at some point, but just want some general community feedback right now.

Gaming side ideas:

01:

I'd move the pipe down a bit but I didn't bother for this test verson.

02:

I like this one with the feet cropped out because it gives a little more detail and is more like it's jumping out from behind the coin boarder...

03:

...and also because we don't have the feet in the final art. I'm asking my artist friend if she has time to add those back in, but yeah.

Also for the last 2 I thought a slightly angled dropbear was more interesting than just having him sitting up straight.

You get to use $(#&ing Drop Bears on your coins!? East had todecided to use a Duck one year! I am incredibly jealous.

I don't think Option 1 would present a problem for kiddercorp, but option 2 is just fantasic, especially if you go with color. (As of West, Color coins have started to outsell regular coins, while for South and East they'd accounted for just under half of all sales)

..yeah, I'm going to need to order a drop bear coin even though I'm not going to attend PAX AUS.